New England Update

Growing Pains
Return to
New England
As Economy Rebounds, So
Do Old Conflicts
The "permit cap" in Eliot, Maine — a law
establishing a limit of 48 residential permits
a year, 12 each quarter — has stood since the
mid-1970s. And though the town, like most along
the southern Maine coast, has grown considerably
during that period — from around 2,000 in the
early 1970s to about 6,000 now — the full 48 permits
were used only five times.
This year, however, is one of those years.
Increased building activity in Eliot has filled the
docket and created a waiting list for permits. As a
result, builders, landowners, and real estate agents
are getting antsy.
One of those